newly issued works
Posted by:
calonlan (IP Logged)
Date: 26 February, 2004 10:06AM
Dear friends - I just re-read in some the detail the post on
"Joshi reviews...", and found some impetus to suggest the following:
At this point, I have not found Mr. Joshi's views particularly
insightful, and certain kinds of literary analysis don't really
tell us very much do they? Are not generalized statements about a
a body of work like Smith's a bit off the point? The poets
I have known personally (Smith, Robert Graves, Robert Frost, Harold
Holden, Jon Eckels among others), universally dislike literary
vivesection (place in history, influences et al, ad infin., ad nauseam).
I would love to hear in this forum from you folks about your views
on this abundant flow of previously unpublished work - Black Diamonds,
Red World, and my own, Sword of Zagan. The real issue is, did you
like reading them. There are some startling things in each. When
I think critically of CAS (not easy for me), I find there are stories
with scenes I cannot forget (Weaver, Black Abbott, Charnel God among
many others); the memory of their first effect is still with me after
50 years, and I have found myself re-reading them. On the other hand,
Mother of Toads is both unforgettable, and such a stomach churner as
to make me almost afraid to re-read it. In short, that which is
memorable to the reader, for whatever reason, makes the critic irrelevant. Yes, much of CAS is colour and description, but then one
encounters tales like "The Monster of the Prophecy" -- highly auto-biographical, elaborate construction whereby he slowly lifts his
arm to reveal in the last sentence a firmly upheld middle finger aimed
at the nosy gossips who pecked at him harpy-like most of his life
in Auburn -- absolutely delightful.
My plea is, share in this forum the tales and poems you have personally
loved, and why. That would be really good to read as I reflect on
the Genteel and courteous friend of years long gone, and the kind of words he would like
to hear from his readers -- "this poem moved me", "that story was
terrific" -- then add how,and why.
Dr. Farmer